NJ FOOTBALL BLOG: MIDDLESEX COUNTY WEEK 3 RECAP

I remember hanging out with Dunellen AD Dave DeNapoli at the Central Jersey Sectional Track Championships last spring and DeNapoli says to me: “John, look over there. Look at that kid. Who is going to tackle him this season?’’

DeNapoli was referring to Nate Smith of Highland Park, who was showing off his chisled, 6-foot, 225-pound frame while warming up for the high jump.

And the answer is? Nobody.

Coming off a ridiculous 25-carry, 367-yard, five touchdown performance in a huge win over Middlesex, Smith has carried the ball 55 times for 690 yards _ a 12.5 per-carry average _ and nine touchdowns this season.

In the Middlesex game, Smith also intercepted a pass for a touchdown _ his second of the season – he kicked two extra points, ran in a two-point conversion and threw for a two-point conversion.

The kid had scored 72 points already.

Seeing the performance live, Highland Park head coach Rich McGlynn was in awe. After watching it again on film, his jaw was dropping.

“It was the single best performance I’ve ever seen, it was watching men among boys,’’ said McGlynn. “As a matter of fact, my assistant Joe Policastro (former long-time head coach at H.P.) who has been here since the 50’s, said it the best performance he’s ever seen and he coached Bruce Presley, the all-time best here.’’

Smith had several long runs on the day, but it was his touchdown run of 19 yards which McGlynn could not believe.

“John, it was just unbelievebale,’’ said McGlynn. “They had him wrapped up in the backfield and he somehow got out of it. The next guy comes up and Nate stiff arms him, then he hurdles three more guys who are diving at him. Icouldn’t believe it watching it on film. Even the announcer at the game (Scott Johnson) became a fan. He kept making references to Nate during the game.’’

Oh yeah, Smith also had 11 tackles from his defensive end position, including five for loss.

Smith, a fullback a year ago while blocking for Bryant Fitzgerald, has been offered a scholarship to Temple, but he’s being recruited by several BigEastSchools and other D-I programs around the country. Nate is the younger brother of L.J. Smith, the former Rutgers great who played several years with the Philadelphia Eagles and is now with the Baltimore Ravens as a tight end.

Smith will be playing defense in college.

I will see Nate play for the first time this season on Saturday against Metuchen.I’ve seen him play many times the past two years and I will say this: I’m glad I don’t have children who will be playing on the same field as Nate Smith because he is one of the fiercest hitters I’ve ever seen.

Smith, by the way, is The Star-Ledger Football Player of the Week. It will appear in Thursday’s paper.

DEMARCO VS. NAJJAR: OldBridge head coach Bob DeMarco and Sayreville’s George Najjar will be battling against each other for the 15th time on Friday night.

But did you know that in 1973, Najjar was the best lacrosse player at CCNY and when CCNY beat YorkCollege that season, DeMarco was the head lacrosse coach at York?

THREE-AND-O: OldBridge, East Brunswick, Spotswood and Sayreville are all 3-0.

Here is the last time these teams began 3-0 and how they finished that season:

SCHOOLYR.FINISH

Sayreville20089-3

Spotswood20064-6

Old Bridge20057-3

East Brunswick19948-2

BANGED UP: You have to give Cardinal McCarrick head coach Bob Kearns, his staff and his players a lot of credit.

The Eagles opened up with a heart-breaking 13-12 loss to an established program in Keansburg. They pounded Mater Dei 40-21 the next week, then had a realistic shot at knocking off South River before losing by a deceptive score of 28-16.

In fact, with six minutes remaining, McCarrick led 16-14 and was stopped on a fourth-and-one at midfield. I believe McCarrick would have had a great to chance to win that game if the first down was made because the Eagles were pounding the bruising John Appiah at the point and South River was having trouble stopping him.

But the Rams did stop him on fourth down before proceeding to score twice, so give them the credit.

But the reason I commend McCarrick is because it is turning around the program with less than 20 players.

When I arrived at WaterfrontPark on Saturday – for the first time I may add – there was an ambulance on the field. What happened was starting center Louis Kwiatek stepped in a hole during pregame warm-ups and wound up with a high ankle sprain.

So the Eagles suited up just 21 players. When receiver/defensive back Kevin Savoia had to leave the game with injury in the third quarter, followed by Appiah when he was stopped on the fourth-and-one, that left McCarrick with 19 players.

“Before I got here (two years ago), the football team was like a club team,’’ said Kearns. “Against Keansburg, I thought we became a team, but I told the kids in order to become a ‘program’ we have to beat an established program. We had our chance against South River with all that tradition but it didn’t happen. But I’m proud of the kids. We play Spotswood this coming week. They’re 3-0, but we’ll show up and compete.’’

SHORE VS. GMC: With Metuchen beating Shore and Wall beating South Plainfield, Shore Conference teams now hold a 14-10 lead over the GMC in head-to-head matchups in 2009.

DID YOU KNOW?: There are five players from Middlesex County playing in the NFL _ L.J. Smith of Highland Park (Baltimore), Jeremy Zuttah of J.P. Stevens (Tampa Bay), Dwayne Jarrett of New Brunswick (Carolina), Malcolm Jenkins of Piscataway (New Orleans) and Jonathan Casillas of New Brunswick (New Orleans).

HISTORY: After last weekend’s games, Piscataway is now 7-0 vs. North Brunswick, South River is now 10-0 vs. McCarrick.

IN CASE YOUR WONDERING: Tyler Yonchiuk’s game-winning, 44-yard field goal against Monroe is fourth on the school’s all-time list for the longest field goal.

The longest were:

Ian Cairns: 49 vs. Sayreville (1989)

Josh Miller: 47 vs. Cherokee (1986)

Jim Varick: 46 vs. Piscataway (1992)

‘KICKING’ IT AROUND: Picking the All-MiddlesexCounty kicker is going to be ridiculous. Daryl Stephenson of Sayreville and Michael Curran of North Brunswick are both proven booters, Cody Leonard is getting it done at Spotswood, while Robbie Meade of Bishop Ahr has a 44-yard field goal this season.

And, at the Monroe-East Brunswick game on Friday night, Tyler Yonchiuk of E.B. and Chris Mattos of Monroe, who may be the two best, went at it head to head.

All Mattos did was kick all four of his kickoffs into the end zone. All Yonchiuk did was kick a 44-yard field goal to win the game.

ALL ABOARD: All 24 teams in the GMC will be playing this weekend. No byes.

AIR BULLDOGS: Jordan Leitner of Metuchen was the GMC’s top passer in 2007 as he collected 1,446 yards (and 14 touchdowns). Of course the southpaw had Dejuan Miller to throw the ball to. He is now catching passes at OklahomaUniversity.

When Leitner graduated – as well as Miller - junior Steven Deinzer stepped in and all he did was lead the GMC in passing with 1,730 yards (and 18 TDs) to set the school’s all-time record for yards and touchdowns in a season.

As a senior, Deinzer is at it again as his three-game total is now 26-for-58 for 581 yards and six touchdowns.

So, if Deinzer leads the GMC in passing yards, that will be a Metuchen quarterback leading the way three years in a row.

Not coincidentally, Leitner works with Deinzer all the through the week and mentors him on the sideline during game day.

LEITNER’S THREE-YEAR CAREER

COMP-ATTEMPTSYARDSTD

219-4063,59841

DEINZER’S 15-GAME CAREER

COMP-ATTEMPTSYARDSTD

127-2372,31124

FIREWORKS:

Shore Regional led Metuchen 7-0 at the half before the two teams went on to score 41 points in the third quarter in a 35-21 Metuchen win. Metuchen had trailed 14-0 in the third quarter.

DID YOU SEE: Did you catch the final score of the Seton Hall Prep-Montclair game on Saturday? If you didn’t, Seton Hall won, 66-36. Can you imagine scoring 36 points in a game and losing by 30?

METUCHEN VS. HIGHLANDPARK:

Metuchen will play Highland Park for the 74th time on Saturday. Both teams are 2-1, both lost to Keyport.